The upcoming Sanjay Leela Bhansali film Padmavati, which has now been rechristened to “Padmaavat”, has really got on to the nerves of certain elements of our society.
The protest against this movie which the aggressors claim, “distorts history” saw radical elements issuing bounties against Bhansali and Deepika Padukone. What heightened the drama was the fact that certain Kshatriya women threatened to commit Jauhar (self immolation), if the movie was released.
This hysteria started to take a dangerous turn after it was reported that members of the Rajput Karni Sena ransacked a school in in Jaora town of Ratlam district, for playing a song from the movie during its annual function. This rampage by about 24 men sent panic into the hearts of parents, young children and created a stampede like situation at the venue.
When the Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhoopendra Singh was asked about this episode, rather than servery condemning the criminals, he proceeded to possibly justify their actions:
MP govt banned #Padmaavat, people shouldn’t even play songs of it. If someone plays a banned song, it must be reported to police & not take matter in your own hands. Action to be taken against culprits: MP HM on school vandalised in Jaora after students performed on song Ghoomar pic.twitter.com/47LJAfVfC7
— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2018
As seen above, the minister is quoted as asserting that since Padmaavat was banned in the state, people shouldn’t play its songs and if someone does so, it must be reported to the police.
This inexplicable view of the Home Minister, which is routinely enforced into practice in Communist and Islamic countries, resulted in many social media users expressing outrage:
This is height of absurdity. I see beginning of end of BJP.
— उत्सुक (@punj_pradeep) January 17, 2018
How is it possible for a State Govt to ban a song – a song? from a film that the country’s censor board has approved. Can you even hum it? listen to it thru headphones? imagine it? this is Stalinist madness that the Taliban would be proud of!
— JayEnAar (@GorwayGlobal) January 17, 2018
Left and Right have pushed each other to retardation beyond redemption. Enjoy the circus. https://t.co/Aevu3EzDe3
— दिव्या (@divya_16_) January 17, 2018
People should not even utter the name of the film that must not be named. https://t.co/K8iBDYdxgz
— Padmaja joshi (@PadmajaJoshi) January 17, 2018
What a joke @ChouhanShivraj ..ON US. This is freaking weakness, weak govt who cannot control louts. Your govt cannot freakin protect schools. You are scared of the fringe. Shame on you. @AmitShah this is terrible.https://t.co/2KjnFlnBIf
— Maya (@Sharanyashettyy) January 17, 2018
Possibly to much relief of social media users, this statement of the Madhya Pradesh Home Minister might be rendered moot, as Supreme Court has now suspended the orders given by the four states to ban the film. Thus going by the Home Minister’s logic, no ban on the movie is equal to no ban on the songs.
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